ISLAMABAD - A local court yesterday declared former General-President Pervez Musharraf proclaimed offender and ordered confiscation of his properties in the country.
Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court decided this while hearing Lal Masjid operation case and adjourned proceedings till appearance of former army chief before the court.
The case relates to death of radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi and more than 100 others who were killed when troops stormed the Red Mosque in 2007.
Announcing the interim judgment, which was reserved on June 25, Judge Pervaiz Qadir Memon also issued non-bailable warrants of Musharraf and directed the police to arrest and produce Musharraf before the court upon his return to country.
The former military ruler, who left Pakistan for Dubai in March for what was described as urgent medical treatment, is facing a string of court cases connected to his 1999 to 2008 rule.
"The court... today passed an order that his property be confiscated," a lawyer for the Red Mosque, Tariq Asad said. "Our next move will be to put pressure on the interior ministry to bring Musharraf back home so he can face all cases against him," he added.
A special court in July which is trying Musharraf for treason, issued a similar order in July but little has resulted from that verdict. However, Asad said, "Today's court order will help mount pressure on the government" to take action.
During yesterday’s hearing, Iram advocate appeared from Musharraf’s side and prayed that the matter be adjourned until last week of October because senior defence counsel Akhtar Shah was out of country.
But Tariq Asad argued that the court had already taken a decision and reserved it on June 25. He said it was not mandatory that the advocates of the accused should be present before the court, adding that the case was being prolonged unnecessarily.
He said at the time of Lal Masjid operation he had appeared before a two-member bench of Supreme Court - comprising Justice (r) Nawaz Abbasi and Justice (r) Faqir Khokkar - and had prayed to them to grant stay order against the operation, but they refused.
Tariq said before Musharraf’s going abroad he had filed an application before ‘this court’ and prayed for ordering authorities to keep his name on the Exit Control List. But the court issued notice to interior secretary four days after Musharraf’s leaving the country. He urged the judge to announce the judgment.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the judge announced the verdict.
General Musharraf ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999. He resigned in 2008 to avoid possible impeachment and went into exile overseas.
He returned in 2013 in an attempt to contest elections but was barred from taking part in the polls and from leaving the country . The travel ban was lifted in March. In January he was acquitted over the 2006 killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti.
But four cases against him remain - one accusing him of treason for imposing emergency rule, and those alleging unlawful dismissal of judges, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and raid on the Red Mosque.